'I had no idea these agencies existed': Herald Money Festa 2026 brings inclusive finance to life

When a block labeled "overdue payment" was placed on one side of a balance scale, it tipped sharply. On the other side, blocks representing good financial habits — "planned spending," "on-time payments," "automatic transfers" and "debit card use" — were added one by one. The scale slowly returned to level, then tipped the other way once all the blocks were in place. The hands-on exhibit, designed by the Credit Recovery Commission, offered a vivid illustration of just how heavy a burden debt delinquency can be.

The joint booth run by the Credit Recovery Commission and the Korea Inclusive Finance Agency at Herald Money Festa 2026, held Friday at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, offered a series of interactive programs that turned potentially intimidating topics — inclusive finance and credit management — into games and quizzes.

The Korea Inclusive Finance Agency set up quizzes to help visitors naturally engage with policy-backed loan products, savings programs and financial education. "All you have to do is answer the quiz and you get a lip balm," an agency official said. "The idea is that we're an agency you can reach whenever you need us — just like lip balm."

For many visitors, the booth served as their first real introduction to inclusive finance support programs. Park Kyung-suk, 56, a self-employed business owner from Bundang, said she had never heard of either the Korea Inclusive Finance Agency or the Credit Recovery Commission before visiting. "When I came and looked around, I found there was actually a lot of support available for small business owners," she said. "I kept thinking — what would I have done if I'd never found out about any of this?"

She added that the quizzes had also filled in gaps in her financial knowledge. "I learned that you can still take out another loan even if one of your existing loans is in arrears," she said. "I'm really relieved to find out there are this many agencies and policies out there for ordinary people — especially small business owners."

Kim Eun-kyung, who chairs both the Credit Recovery Commission and the Korea Inclusive Finance Agency, visited the booth Friday morning and reviewed the exhibits firsthand, asking staff to tailor their explanations to visitors of all backgrounds. She said financial terms like "debit card" might already be unfamiliar to younger children, and suggested adding content built around more accessible concepts such as piggy banks, saving and allowance notebooks. "The balance-scale exhibit shouldn't just be about stacking weights," Kim said. "We need to make sure children understand what it actually means."

Foot traffic was steady throughout the morning. A Credit Recovery Commission official said about 60 people had visited by lunchtime, adding that the day's target of 100 visitors looked well within reach. Visitors who followed the commission's Instagram account received a bath towel as a gift — chosen, officials explained, to symbolize the hope of wiping away the burden of debt.

Separately from the joint booth, a dedicated space in the event's "Mutual Finance Market" zone was set up to promote 1375, the Credit Recovery Commission's new debt counseling hotline. The Financial Services Commission has been strengthening the commission's role as a one-stop support center for debtors, and the easy-to-remember number is set to launch in October.

Participants answer four quiz questions on credit and personal finance, then add up the correct answers to arrive at 1375. "Going through the quiz and doing the math myself made the number stick naturally," one participant said.

Kim said at the event: "If you're struggling with debt, call 1375. If you need a policy-backed loan, call 1397. We will take care of everything."